I recently spent time with the Nintendo 3DS version of Cars 2: The Video Game. It provides you with both racing and spy missions for you to complete with the Cars characters that you know and love. Starting out you have the option to play in Story mode where you help Lightning McQueen win the World Grand Prix. During story mode you will be involved in many types of races from knockout races to rivalry races and of course the grand prix. You will also have to do spy missions as well where you need to reach a specific goal without being caught by other cars.

I found the racing in Cars 2: The Video Game to be the best part, as I really didn’t care for the spy missions at all. Some of those missions are too easy and the ones that are more difficult prove to be just more annoying than anything else. You usually just sneak to a location or collect items without being spotted. There was nothing exciting about going through the spy missions, and I found myself wishing I could just simply go back to the racing and not bother at all with the rest.

The racing in Cars 2: The Video Game is not perfect either. You do have a drift button for sharper turns. Once you get use to it, the drift button will be a big help for you. However, the handling still feels a little odd and not as smooth. Each vehicle has a special ability as well that can be used on each course in certain areas. You also have a boost feature, which I found to be most useful when traveling in the mud or dirt as that allows you to slow down a bit.

The tracks are pretty good though and some of them have some decent visuals, while others come off as uninspired. Each track has a special area in which you can use your vehicles special ability to take a shortcut. Some tracks are a lot more difficult as well where you will have to time your drifting to perfection if you want to clear it just right. You have CHROME mode in which you can select to do single races or cup circuits. You have 7 circuit races to choose from and 6 locations to choose from in single races. You have 7 vehicles to race with as well. So there are some options outside of playing just the story mode where you can just simply race. However, most of the races are way too easy to win. But if you mess up too much on some tracks, which can happen, that will be the only time you will be challenged. Trust me when I say that you will have to screw up pretty badly to lose a race.

The visuals in the game are pretty lacking and not well polished whatsoever. I should also mention that in one of my first few races I hit the boost into a turn and couldn’t pull out in time. I ended up getting caught up in a glitch and falling out of the map until it reset me. That was actually on one of the prettier maps. I tried to redo the glitch and I wasn’t able to, so it was a rare occasion at least. One of the other annoying things about the game is the quick audio clips. Every time you hit the wall with your car it will say something and each time it’s pretty much the same audio clip over and over. For awhile you will be hitting the sides a lot and you will get a non stop “Hey, watch the paint!” from Lightning McQueen that really gets annoying. As far as the music in the game – it isn’t horrible, but its also not anything you will want to listen to ever again.

Cars 2: The Video Game could have been a decent title for the 3DS if they would have put a little more effort into it. Making the races more challenging and tuning up the vehicles some more would make a positive difference to this title. It could have really used an overall polishing in almost every aspect, and this could have happened it could have been a nice little game. Cars 2: The Video Game will probably end up leaving most people disappointed and wanting more from it. Although, as I said before, it still features a few good race tracks for you to race in, but it’s just not nearly enough to make it worth it.

Andrew StevensAndrew Stevens is the Managing Editor of FanBolt for Gaming and Technology. He has over 6 years of experience working within the gaming industry which includes a year at Bethesda Softworks. His unique view of the industry and passion for gaming can be seen within each one of his editorials. Andrew is a big PC gamer and always enjoys tinkering with his latest build. He also can’t get enough speed when it comes to racing games and doesn’t mind navigating through swarms of bullets in any shmup. Rez is the greatest game ever!

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